The present invention relates to a tap that splits multi-media signals, and then distributes these split signals to the subscribers""homes as well as the service downstream, and more particularly the present invention relates to a tap, which is equipped with a disengagable connecting member capable of preventing the distribution of the signals to the downstream service from being interrupted when the tap is under maintenance.
Multi-media signals are transmitted to subscriber homes from a headend unit by means of cables, and these multi-media signals are fed to the subscriber homes via a tap, which is provided with a circuit used for filtering, strengthening, and splitting the signals before the signals are transmitted to the downstream service from an output terminal and the subscriber homes from a front panel.
Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a conventional interruptible tap, disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,648,745, and No. 5,850,165 has a housing member consisting of both a lower part 51 and an upper part 57, a lower terminal support 53, a pair of terminals 531, a top terminal support 54, a disengagable conductive strip 55, a retainer 56, and a circuit 571 (FIG. 7) fitted to the inner side of the upper housing part 57.
An upstream line 52 is passed through an input end 511 of the lower part 51 of the housing member, while a downstream line 59 is passed through an output end 512 of the lower housing part 51. The lower terminal support 53 is secured in the lower housing part 51 with the terminals 531 each being disposed at one end thereof; the terminals 531 each has a plug 532, and are connected to the upstream line 52 the downstream line 59 respectively.
The top terminal support 54 has through holes 542 at two ends, a central through hole 543, and is fixedly connected to the lower terminal support 53 by means of screws 541 with the plugs 532 of the terminals 531 being each passed through one of the through holes 542 thereof, elongated trenches (not numbered) is formed next to the through holes 542. The disengagable conductive strip 55 is resilient, and has two curved ends 551. The disengagable conductive strip 55 is placed on the elongated trenches and the central through hole 543 of the top terminal support 54 with the curved ends 551 each engaging one of the plugs 532 of the terminals 531.
The retainer 56 has a pushed surface 562 on the upper side, which is the intersection of two crossing substantially rectangular bars, as shown in FIGS. 6, 8 and 9. The retainer 56 further has legs sticking downward which each has an engaging end 561. The retainer 56 is movably connected to the top terminal support 54 with the legs passing through the central through hole 543, and with the bottom part thereof abutting the middle portion of the conductive strip 55; thus, the retainer 56 can""t fall off because the engaging ends 561 separably engage the bottom of the top terminal support 54.
The upper part 57 has output terminals 572 at the top surface for connection with lines to the subscribers. Referring to FIG. 7, the upper part 57 further has a circuit 571 fitted to the bottom side, and a pushing protrusion 58 sticking down from the bottom side; two sockets 573 are provided on the circuit 571. The upper part 57 is secured to the lower part 51 by means of screws with the sockets 573 being each mounted on one of the plugs 532, and with the pushing protrusion 58 coming into contact with the pushed surface 562 of the retainer 56 such that the retainer 56 is moved downwardly, and the conductive strip 55 is bent at the middle portion by the retainer 56 for the curved ends 551 to disengage from the respective plugs 532.
Thus, multi-media signals are transmitted to the circuit 571 to be filtered and strengthened from the upstream line 52, the terminal 531 connected to the upstream line 52, and then fed to the subscriber homes via the output terminals 572 of the upper housing pairs 57, and to the downstream service via the other one of the terminals 531 and the downstream line 59; because the conductive strip 55 is not electrically connected to the terminals 531, it will not interfere with the transmission of the signals to the service downstream.
When the upper housing part 57 is removed from the lower part 51 for repair, maintenance or upgrading of the circuit 571, the conductive strip 55 can stretch to the original straight shape so as to contact the plugs 532 at the curved ends 551 again due to the removal of the pushing protrusion 58 from the pushed surface 562 of the retainer 56. Thus, the media-media signals still can be transmitted to the service downstream via the conductive stripe 55 without being interrupted by the maintenance, repair or upgrading of the circuit 571.
However, it is found that the conventional non-interruptible tap has a drawback:
The pushing protrusion 58, and the pushed surface 562 of the retainer 56 have to be foamed with relatively high precision in respect of the position otherwise the pushing protrusion 58 would fail to come into contact with the pushed surface 562, resulting in interference of the conductive strip 55 in the transmission of the multi-media signals to the service downstream. And, the manufacturing cost is increased because the precision in respect of the position of the above mentioned parts is high.
Therefore, it is a main object of the present invention to provide a non-interruptible tap, of which the upper housing part can make the conductive strip disengage from the plugs effectively and easily when mounted on the lower housing part so as to prevent the conductive strip from interfering with the transmission of the signals to the service downstream.
The non-interruptible tap includes a housing member, a circuit board, and a non-interruptible member including a support element, a pair of slide blocks, and a resilient conductive strip.
The housing member has an upper part, and a lower part, and receives a first, and a second terminals, to which an upstream, and a downstream lines are connected respectively. Several output terminals are provided on the upper part for connection with lines to subscribers. The circuit board is connected to the upper part, and has a pair of sockets, which will mount on the first, and the second terminals when the upper part is joined to the lower part.
The support element is secured in the lower part with two ends being adjacent to the first, and the second terminals. The support element has a lengthwise formed slot, in which the slide blocks are movably received. The conductive strip is connected to the slide blocks with two ends thereof sticking out beyond the same. Thus, when the upper part is not joined to the lower part, the conductive strip can stretch to the original straight shape to engage the first, and the second terminals at two ends so as to allow signals to be transmitted to the downstream line via the same. When the upper part is joined to the lower part, the sockets of the circuit board, when mounted on the first, and the second terminals, will push the slide blocks toward each other, thus making the conductive strip bend at the middle, and disengage from the terminals at two ends. In other words, the conductive strip can be easily move away from the first, and the second terminals so as not to interfere with the transmission of the signals when the upper housing part is joined to the lower housing part.